? Cannabis is the most widely used illicit substance among adolescents; however, the long-term neural consequences of chronic use are relatively understudied. The effects of cannabis on brain structure have yielded inconsistent results, as some have found differences in brain volume and others have not. Studies examining the cognitive effects of chronic cannabis use have primarily demonstrated subtle deficits in memory and attention. Of concern is that the current literature lacks studies that adequately assess the effects of cannabis exposure in adolescents during the critical period of neuromaturation. Therefore, the goal of this project is to examine whether cannabis use during late adolescence is associated with long-lasting brain structural changes, measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and neuropsychological functioning. Gender will also be explored as a potential moderator variable between brain structure, neuropsychological functioning, and cannabis use. Data will be collected from two groups of 16-18 year old adolescents: 1) Cannabis users and 2) Non-drug using controls who have verified 28-days of abstinence. Based on animal models and existing data in humans, it is hypothesized that cannabis use will be associated with decreased brain volume in prefrontal and cerebellar regions and poorer cognitive performance on tests of learning and memory, working memory, attention, executive functioning, and psychomotor speed. ? ? ? ?
| McQueeny, Tim; Padula, Claudia B; Price, Jenessa et al. (2011) Gender effects on amygdala morphometry in adolescent marijuana users. Behav Brain Res 224:128-34 |
| Hanson, Karen L; Medina, Krista Lisdahl; Padula, Claudia B et al. (2011) Impact of Adolescent Alcohol and Drug Use on Neuropsychological Functioning in Young Adulthood: 10-Year Outcomes. J Child Adolesc Subst Abuse 20:135-154 |
| Hanson, Karen L; Medina, Krista Lisdahl; Nagel, Bonnie J et al. (2010) Hippocampal volumes in adolescents with and without a family history of alcoholism. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 36:161-7 |
| Medina, Krista Lisdahl; Nagel, Bonnie J; Tapert, Susan F (2010) Abnormal cerebellar morphometry in abstinent adolescent marijuana users. Psychiatry Res 182:152-9 |
| Medina, Krista Lisdahl; McQueeny, Tim; Nagel, Bonnie J et al. (2009) Prefrontal cortex morphometry in abstinent adolescent marijuana users: subtle gender effects. Addict Biol 14:457-68 |
| Cohen-Zion, Mairav; Drummond, Sean P A; Padula, Claudia B et al. (2009) Sleep architecture in adolescent marijuana and alcohol users during acute and extended abstinence. Addict Behav 34:976-9 |
| Medina, Krista Lisdahl; McQueeny, Timothy; Nagel, Bonnie J et al. (2008) Prefrontal cortex volumes in adolescents with alcohol use disorders: unique gender effects. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 32:386-94 |
| Medina, Krista Lisdahl; Schweinsburg, Alecia D; Cohen-Zion, Mairav et al. (2007) Effects of alcohol and combined marijuana and alcohol use during adolescence on hippocampal volume and asymmetry. Neurotoxicol Teratol 29:141-52 |
| Medina, Krista Lisdahl; Nagel, Bonnie J; Park, Ann et al. (2007) Depressive symptoms in adolescents: associations with white matter volume and marijuana use. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 48:592-600 |
| Medina, Krista Lisdahl; Hanson, Karen L; Schweinsburg, Alecia D et al. (2007) Neuropsychological functioning in adolescent marijuana users: subtle deficits detectable after a month of abstinence. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 13:807-20 |
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